While I'm around
by sadanimelover
Summary: A thief tries to steal two pies. Her life changes forever after being caught  Summary sucks. I do not own Sweeney Todd


**I do not own Sweeney T****odd the demon barber of fleet street. There are many films but this fanfic is set in the Sweeney Todd of Tim Burton. (with Johnny Depp) Enjoy.**

While I'm around

'Come back you thief!' the woman shouted as I ran away with two famous pies. The pies of Mrs. Lovett are the best, or so I heard.

A boy ran after me, he had black hair and was at the same age as me. I ran as fast as I could. Just before I wanted to enter an ally someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me up.

'You, why don't you come with me little thief?' the man dragged me under his arm, back to the pie shop, but we didn't enter it. Instead we walked upstairs, to the barbershop.

He closed the door firmly and walked towards me with his razor in his hand.

'Please, I'm sorry sir. Please let me go, I won't steal anymore pies. Here, you can have them.' I said while I put the pies on the floor.

'How would you like a shave?' he said scarily while he lifted his razor.

I started crying. 'Please…'

He removed my hair in front of my face with his hand and tucked the blonde locks behind my ears. He looked into my blue eyes and something in his face changed.

Than he let the razor come down and I blacked out before the blade even touched my neck.

Surprisingly I woke up. I was lying in a small bed. I stood up carefully and wondered where I was. I laid my hand on my neck. There was no cut in it.

The door opened slowly and Mrs. Lovett came in.

'Are you awake, little one?' she asked while she handed me a cup of tea.

'I'm so sorry for trying to steal your pies. It's just that I haven't got the money to buy food. I'm sorry.'

'It's okay. You gave the pies back, didn't you?'

'Yes ma'am, but I feel really sorry. Can I make it up by doing some work, cleaning up your store for instance?' I didn't like being caught. Actually I didn't like stealing at all, but if I wanted to stay alive it was the only option, next to letting myself being beaten up by some man, some charlatan who tries to sell his miracle elixir. I had seen mister Pirelli beat up this boy, and countless others do the same. I rather steal than being beaten up every time someone feels like it.

'I guess that would be alright.' Mrs. Lovett said. 'But for now, why don't you take a pie.' She said while she handed me one.

'Thank you, you're too kind.'

I took a bite. It was indeed wonderful, it tasted great. I ate it slowly, knowing this would be the last time I would eat a meat pie so deliciously.

The boy entered. 'Mrs. Lovett, mister Todd needs you.'

'Thank you Toby. Why don't you become friends with this girl?'

Mrs. Lovett walked away and closed the door behind her.

'I'm Toby.' The boy said. 'Who are you?'

'I'm Suzanne.' I answered.

Than it was silent again. The boy opened his mouth twice but closed it fast after opening it.

'I hate people who steal.' Toby finally said.

'Me too.' I replied.

'But you tried to steel two pies. Do you hate yourself?'

'Sometimes.' I answered honestly. 'But I rather steal than work and being beaten up.'

'What do you mean?' Toby asked.

'A week ago was there this guy, senõr Pirelli. He had this small boy he beat up for no reason. I feel sorry for that boy, that's why I don't want to work for some unkind man.'

'You don't have to feel sorry for that boy anymore.' He said with sad eyes.

I didn't understand what he meant.

'I was that boy. Although he was unkind, I always had enough to eat. I didn't have to be some low placed thief who does nothing except asking for alms and stealing everything with a little value.'

'You weren't that boy! He was blonde.' I stated

'I wore a wig! Look at my fingers!' He showed me his fingers, in each was a little cut, a scar that would stay forever. Than he showed me his back. There were big stripes everywhere.

'I have suffered, but now I'm with Mrs. Lovett. She is my new mother, I was an orphan and now she takes care of me. Until senõr Pirelli comes back she will. Sometimes I secretly wish mister Pirelli doesn't come back, so I can be with Mrs. Lovett forever.'

'I'm sorry Toby. But I have to say that I'm not just a thief, I do work. I clean shoes and all kinds of other things, but nobody wants a tramp to do work for them. They are afraid they will steal. Because of the people not trusting us, we just have to.'

'I'm sorry.' Toby said while he sat down on the bed next to me.

'I hope senõr Pirelli doesn't come back.' I said while I gave Toby a little smile.

'Thank you.' He replied while he also smiled.

At that moment the door swung open. Mrs. Lovett and the man who had grabbed me were standing behind it.

'Toby, can you please come with me.' Mrs. Lovett said.

'Yes ma'am.' Toby walked to her and they walked away.

The man closed the door.

I felt uncomfortable at the moment he did. He looked at me as I tried to make myself as small as possible.

'If you're smart you stay away from this place from now on. I've been kind to you, but that won't happen a second time. Next time you try to steal a pie, I will shave your head off, understood?'

I nodded, too scared to talk.

'You clean up the store after this and than leave, without taking a pie. Now go, little girl.'

I almost ran to the door, downstairs to the shop. Mrs. Lovett and Toby were sitting on a bench and eating a pie.

'I will get the broom for you Suzanne.' Mrs. Lovett said.

Mrs. Lovett walked away and returned a few moments later with two brooms and a bucket filled with water.

She handed me and Toby one and went upstairs.

'I told her your name.' Toby said while he began to swipe the floor.

'I noticed.' I said.

We worked in silence. I did much better than Toby, guess it's a girl thing. After the shop we did the terrace where the customers ate the pies. We were done after a long hour.

'You did very well, Suzanne.' Mrs. Lovett said while she walked outside.

'You too Toby, but I didn't expect anything else from you.'

'Than I think it's time for me to go.' I said while I handed her the broom.

'That's something I wanted to talk about. Will you please sit down?'

I sat down on one of the benches and she took a seat next to me.

'Do you have any family left were you have to take care off, Suzanne?'

'No, they're all dead.' I said emotionless.

'I've talked to mister Todd. Would you like to work here? It can get very busy around here and I think Toby needs a friend.'

'That would be great ma'am.' I answered.

'Welcome Suzanne.' Mrs. Lovett said.

'But don't you do anything wrong, little girl, kicking you out is as easy as making a pie.' Mister Todd said.

'I'll do my very best, mister Todd.' I replied.

Mister Todd walked away. 'We'll see.'

'Now, let's see if we can make a pie, shall we?' Mrs. Lovett asked while she grabbed Toby's and my hand and walked to the kitchen.

After I had made one pie it was decided. I would make the pies if Mrs. Lovett was very busy, clean up every morning together with Toby and kill the insects in the kitchen. I would sleep in a small room which I shared with Toby.

I worked very hard, to mister Todd's liking and soon became good friends with Toby. But his best friend was Mrs. Lovett. He obviously had never known his own mother. Toby sometimes reacted a little bit strange as we talked about mister Todd. He would whisper that mister Todd was evil and that sometimes people didn't come back from his barbershop upstairs, but I didn't believe that. Toby was just a little afraid of barbers, what wasn't a strange thing if you looked back at his previous life with senõr Pirelli.

Days past and never something really exciting went on, except for the times that Mrs. Lovett would throw the old crazy lady out. I've always been afraid of her, she sings awful ballads whenever she feels like it. If she doesn't get what she wants or searches something she would make this weird ryuuh-ryuuh sound. That sound is so annoying that everybody gives her what she wants. For the rich she was crazy, to the tramps she was smart.

One day when I was killing bugs again Toby came to me. 'Mister Todd is evil! He gave Mrs. Lovett Pirelli's pouch. If there was one thing Pirelli loved it was money. Mister Todd has killed him or something, we've got to flee! I'll get Mrs. Lovett, grab your belongings.' Than he ran off again.

'Yeah sure Toby.' I said.

Although mister Todd had pretended to kill me, he would never ever really kill someone. He had just wanted to scare me, so I wouldn't steal anymore. And it would have worked.

I eliminated some more bugs when I heard Mrs. Lovett call: 'Suzanne, will you please come here?'

'Coming ma'am.'

I walked to Mrs. Lovett, who was standing near the stairs with Toby.

'Follow me children.' She walked off the stairs while we followed her. 'Soon I'll be too old to do this, that's why I'll teach you how to grind the meat and bake the pies.'

She opened a heavy door and walked to the oven in the middle of the basement. This is how you open the door and put the pies in. You close it like this.'

Than she walked to a big machine, the meat grinder. 'You just have to put the meat in here and than turn this rod in rounds.'

Toby and I both tried to turn it round and round, but it was very heavy. Only if we pulled together we would get it go round.

'I've to go.' Mrs Lovett said. She had already walked to the door. 'Why don't you practise you meat grinding skills more?'

'We will Mrs. Lovett.' Toby answered.

Mrs. Lovett closed the door.

'May I try alone?' Toby asked.

'Of course.' I replied and stepped away. 'Don't you think there's an awful stench in here?' I asked.

'Yes, must be all this meat.' He said while he effortlessly pulled the rod.

I walked around, trying to find a place where I could breath normally. Than I saw it. In one of the corners there was a pile of bodies. Human. They were all dead.

'Toby… Toby!' I screamed.

'What is it?' he said while he walked towards me.

'Tell me this is not what I think it is.'

He looked at me and than at the meat grinder. 'This can't be.' He whispered.

We ran towards the door, trying to flee, but the door was closed. Than we heard a hatch being opened.

Another body fell out off the sky, followed by a tall hat.

'Let us out!' Toby screamed. Soon enough I joined him.

'Mrs. Lovett!' I heard mister Todd shout.

'He's going to kill us.' Toby said.

'What can we do, there's nowhere to hide?' I cried out.

Toby ran around, looking for a good hiding place. Meanwhile I heard somebody come from upstairs.

'Come here Suzanne!' Toby called.

He had found a way to get into the sewer. He pulled the manhole away and let me go downstairs first. It was dark and the stench was unbearable. Toby closed the manhole just before the door in the basement was opened.

'We need to find a place to hide.' Toby whispered.

I followed him. It was a good thing he had great eyes. Just a few feet from the manhole was a gap in the wall. It was very high, so first Toby stood on my shoulders to get there and than he pulled me up. The gap was just big enough for two children. We waited in silence till the manhole was opened.

'They must be in here.' Mister Todd said.

I didn't dare to breath.

The adults came downstairs and searched around.

'_Nothing's gonna hurt you, not while I'm around.'_ Mrs. Lovett sang.

'Toby, Suzanne!' mister Todd shouted.

I saw Toby cry and I held his hand to comfort him, but also myself. Mister Todd walked so close that I could touch him. I was afraid that my breathing or Toby's crying would give us away, but thank god that didn't happen.

As soon as they were out of sight I wanted to go down, but Toby shook his head. Five minutes later the two came back. They were arguing about whose fault this was and what they were going to do now. We heard them walking in the basement, they walked fast, like they were dancing. Than we heard a door being closed and Mrs. Lovett scream.

Toby crawled out off the gap and looked through the bars the manhole existed of.

Slowly I approached him. He looked furious and sad at the same time. We heard mister Todd. He was singing, for the first time I noticed he had a pretty nice voice.

Toby opened the manhole as softly as possible and mentioned me to stay where I was.

He walked to mister Todd who held a death body in his arms. Toby grabbed a razor off the ground and slid mister Todd's throat. I tried to look away, but I couldn't. A waterfall of blood streamed out off his neck, on the woman he was still holding. I went out of the sewer and went to Toby.

'You were right. I'm so sorry for not believing you.'

He looked at me, his eyes red from the tears he cried. He dropped the razor and opened the oven. 'She is dead, my mother is dead!' he screamed. He wanted to jump into the fire to get what was left of her, but I stopped him just in time.

'Let's get out off here. We have to tell the world what happened.' I said while I pulled his shoulder.

He nodded and followed me upstairs, outside the shop. We went to the police station. At first they didn't believe us, but when we showed them the basement they did. The newspapers in all of Europe were filled with it. Barber kills people for meat pies. Human meat pies in London.

We sold our story and gathered lots of money. But we were just children and orphans again. But if you're famous, people are very willing to give you a new home. There was this boy, his name was Anthony. He had been very close to mister Todd and knew Toby very well. Anthony was in love with Johanna, who turned out to be Todd's daughter. They were very nice and offered us a place to live with them. We said yes and now we live with Anthony and Johanna, who married very soon after the incident in a lovely house at the beach.

Toby often thinks about Mrs. Lovett, she had really become his mother. I hope he will have more luck in his life than he has now. He's very sad and cries every now and than, but it gets better.

Years passed and London forgot about the incident, though everybody was still afraid that they might have eaten their own family in a delicious meat pie.

The end.


End file.
